Ladder



Jan. .10; 1939. A. JILI'EQM N. 2,143,783 LADDER:

Filed Dec. 1, 1.957-

Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j 1 Claim.

This invention relates to ladders such as are particularly adapted foruse where they lean against finished surfaces such as the exterior of anautomobile or interior woodwork which is highly finished and whichsurfaces ordinary ladders would mar or scratch. P

It is an object of the invention to provide a ladder having anchoragesat its upper ends which will engage the outer surfaces of an automobileor the walls of a room, whereby the ladder is yieldably supported at itsupper end, and the said yieldable elements or devices being preferablyin the nature of vacuum cups which will anchor the upper end of theladder in a manner to prevent its accidental displacement or dislodgmentfrom the position in which it is set.

It is a further object of the inventor that the ladders may be made indiiferent lengths'according to the intended use thereof. The ladder hasbeen found serviceable for reaching the tops of automobiles as when theautomobile is being washed or finished, and in making the tops ofautomobiles accessible for placing or removing luggage from the tops ofautomobiles or luggage carriers which are becoming popular with touristsand others who utilize this means of transporting luggage or commoditiesinstead of loading the interior of the automobile with such luggage orcommodities.

It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a ladder havingvacuum cups, the said cups having novel means for breaking the vacuum orseal of the cups so that the ladder may 35 be expeditiously manipulatedand moved from place to place.

It is a further object of the invention to produce a ladder having theabove indicated characteristics which will be efiicient and satisfactoryin use, as well as comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a ladder forhousehold use which may be converted into a step ladder or an extensible45 ladder.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing forming part of this application, wherein likecharacters denote corresponding parts in the sev- 55 eral views, and inwhich Fig. 1 illustrates a view in elevation of aladder embodying theinvention; Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional view thereof;

Fig. 3 illustrates a View of a fragment of the ladder at the topthereof, partly in section; 5

Fig. 4 illustrates a view in elevation of an extensible ladder;

Fig. 5 illustrates a view in side elevation, partly in section when usedas a step ladder;

Fig. 6 illustrates an enlarged detail view of a 10 fragment of theladder in perspective;

Fig. 7 illustrates an enlarged detail view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 illustrates a detailed view of a means for holding the laddersections in position to 15 be used as a step ladder; and Fig. 9illustrates a perspective view of a fragment of the ladder. In thedrawing, 5 denotes a ladder which is preferably of metal, having agoose-neck construction 6 at its upper end, the standards of the ladderhaving at their upper. ends brackets which constitute anchorages for theshanks of bolts 8 carried by the suction or vacuum cups 9,

to be hereinafter referred to as vacuum cups. The anchorages compriseangle brackets, one portion of which is bolted or otherwise secured tothe standard by members It] extending through the angular portion of thebracket and transversely through the standard at its upper end. Theother angular portion of the bracket is apertured, as at H, to receivethe threaded portion of the bolt, and the said bolt is secured to thebracket by suitable means, such as a nut [2. The parts for anchoring thevacuum cups are duplicated at the upper end of each of the standards'andwhen the said vacuum cups are applied to a plane surface, they hold theladder against movement or displacement and serve to support the ladder;so that the surfaces contacted by the vacuum cups are not marred orotherwise 40 damaged. i

The rungs 13 of the ladder are preferably channel iron construction andthe standards are likewise preferably formed of channel iron as alighter gauge metal can be used and yet rigidity is afforded for theladder as a whole.

The ends M of the rungs are preferably secured to the standards by spotwelding, although mechanical means may obviously be employed foreffecting the connection. However, the construction by the weldingprocesses has been found eflicicnt and is less expensive than wheremechanical parts have to be manipulated to effect the connections.

The standard has a loose connection permitting the bracket to oscillatewith respect to the standard, so that the vacuum cups may be adjusted tobe parallel or approximately parallel with the surfaces which they areto engage while supporting the ladder.

In order to facilitate the breaking of the seal or vacuum, the outersurface of each cup is promeans of pin l8, and the outer ends of thestandards are each provided with a vacum cup. When the sections areplaced at angles to each other, the vacuum cups may rest on the floor orbase and thus be retained in position so that the ladder may act as astep ladder, but where the surfaces are such that the vacuum cups willnot operate, a brace 20 is provided, attached to one of the sections andspanning the space between the sections engage a rung of the oppositeladder section or, in some instances, sections of the ladder may be heldfrom spreading, through the employment of a link l9 having ends whichembrace rungs of the opposite ladder sections.

When the ladder is to be used as an extension ladder, one section isprojected practically in line with the other section, {and the vacuumcups on the outer ends will be employed in much the same manner as theyare employed in the form illustrated in Figure 1.

Where the vacuum cups 'rest on the floor or base andthe seals are to bebroken, provision has been made for supplying a wire or other connection2! which is attached to'one of the lugs of each cup and by pulling onthis connection, the seal is broken. As illustrated also, provision ismade for breaking the seal of all of the cups simultaneously by a pullexerted on the chain or element 22 to which wires or connections areattached, so that by a pull on the member 22 the seals of all the cupsare broken simultaneously and bythis arrangement, the manipulation andmovement of the ladder is facilitated.

The goose-neck or curve imparted to the standard permits the ladder tobe used on automobiles so that the main portion of the ladder extendsbeyond the fenders or other projecting portions of anautomobile, andwhen used in a room, the construction permits the ladder to clear aradiator or other objects near the wall.

While the ladder has been described particularly with reference to itsconstruction from iron or any metal, it is obvious that a wooden ladderhaving the characteristics of the vacuum cups, etc. may be produced.

A combined brace and step 23 is secured to the lower ends of thestandards I! of the upper section, and the upper ends 24 of thestandards of the lower section engage the brace to limit the movement ofthe sections in one direction.

As illustrated, the step shown in Fig. 9 has apertures 23 to receivesuitable fastenings, or the step could be welded to the standard I7.

' I claim:

A ladder comprising channeled standards having side flanges extendinginwardly and channeled rungs having flanges whose ends are secured tothe inner edges of the flanges of the standards whereby spaces areformed between the ends of the rungs and the said standards for theescape of water during the washing operation,

vacuum cups suitably mounted at the top of said standards and efiectiveto retain the ladder in place against a surface to which the cups willadhere, lugs on the outer surface of the cups manipulatable to lift anedge of the cup from contact with said surface to break the vacuum,vac-.

uum cups at the lower ends of the said standards,-

and means for attaching the said standards externally of vacuum cups tothe the said standards.

ARNO J. LIEBMAN.

